Off-Season Job Hunting

When Neha Gupta prepared to graduate from college last December, she faced a difficult job search since many large companies weren't recruiting for winter openings.

So the 24-year-old, who finished her Master's degree in economics early to save about $20,000, focused on smaller companies that could hire on the spot. A friend introduced her to the founder of e-commerce startup Honest Co., which was launching in late January. She was soon hired to handle account management.

"It was [initially] frustrating because I felt like I had a good background, had good experience but I was out of the cycle," says Ms. Gupta, who also used the University of Southern California's career-services office for job leads and advice.

Ms. Gupta is one of a growing number of students graduating in December—either a semester early or a semester late—due to financial or personal reasons. But jumping into the job market outside of the traditional time poses some obstacles for these college graduates.

For one thing, some companies, including many large financial-services firms, retailers and consultants, recruit at schools in the fall for summer hires. Others set aside entry-level hiring until the spring for a summer or fall start.

But there are some perks to graduating in December. Graduates can get a head start on entry-level hiring at small or midsize companies, since many of those companies' budgets open up for the new year, says Lindsey Pollak, the New York-based author of "Getting from College to Career." And they're more likely to hire on the spot.

To find a job lead, tap family and friends you've connected with over the holidays. And try to expand your network at any New Year's parties you're attending. You also can join alumni groups on LinkedIn or Facebook and connect with fellow alumni, even if you don't know them personally. Explain your recent graduation and interests and how you would like to get some career advice and learn about the person's employer, says Rebecca Sparrow, director of Cornell Career Services at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y.

After seeing a job listing online, Lauren Baer reached out to a friend on Facebook who worked for the company hiring. Ms. Baer, who graduated from Syracuse University in December 2010, had transferred from Northeastern University and lost a year's worth of credits. The now 24-year-old had interned for the friend at another company. After some correspondence and interviews, she got the job—as an account associate at a New York public-relations firm—a month later.

Recruiters and potential employers will undoubtedly ask about the timing of your graduation, so you need to cast your reasons—and what you got out of it—in a positive light.

If you've graduated late, be honest about the reasons, says Ms. Sparrow. If you cut down on school hours to get a part-time job for financial reasons, for instance, talk about how that shows you are responsible about finances and already have experience in the workforce.

Michelle Frankel chose to take an extra internship placement in her Masters program on speech-language pathology at Hofstra University. The 24-year-old, who graduated earlier this month, says she plans to emphasize her added experience during job interviews. Ms. Frankel, who lives in Plainview, N.Y., says she is actively searching for a job online and in person, but faces an uphill climb since most companies hire in the summer for a September start.

If you graduated early, point out relevant internships or classes that helped you accelerate, Ms. Pollak says. Also highlight how you successfully managed a heavier course load, which shows how you will be able to handle various tasks at work.

"Don't just ride it out until the spring," she says. "You have an opportunity…to get a head start."

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